Simon and Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits is the first compilation album from Simon & Garfunkel, released on June 14, 1972 two years after the duo disbanded. The album was a unique mix of original studio recordings and four previously unreleased live recordings. The album’s minimalist packaging does not specifically date the latter, however, the live versions of «For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her» and «Kathy’s Song» included on Greatest Hits were also included on the 2008 album Live 1969.

The liner notes to Live 1969 state that these two songs were both recorded at a November 1969 concert in St. Louis, Missouri. In a 1975 BBC Radio 1 interview, Roy Halee identified this version of «The 59th Street Bridge Song» as being from Simon & Garfunkel’s 1970 performance at Carnegie Hall, «the last concert they did together.» The version of «Kathy’s Song» was taken from a 1968 concert in Vermont, according to the liner notes from Collected Works.

The remaining ten studio songs comprise nine singles released between 1965 and 1972, «America» being issued as a single several years after its appearance as a track on the Bookends album, and one album track, «Bookends» (without its parent song «Old Friends»).

All but «America» and «Scarborough Fair/Canticle» made the Top Ten, with the latter peaking at #11, and «Mrs. Robinson» topped the chart aided by its appearance in Mike Nichols’ hit movie The Graduate. «The Sound of Silence» and «Bridge over Troubled Water» both peaked at #1 as singles in their studio versions, and «The Boxer» peaked as a single at #7.

Simon and Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits peaked on the U.S. albums chart at #5. On the UK Album Chart, it was a #2 hit. Regardless of initial placements, the album has proven a long and durable seller, currently being certified for 14 million units sold in the U.S. alone. As such it is easily their best-selling album ever in the U.S., and indeed holds the record in the U.S. for the best-selling album ever by a duo.

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Track listing

1. Mrs. Robinson

2. For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her

3. The Boxer

4. The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)

5. The Sound of Silence

6. I Am a Rock

7. Scarborough Fair/Canticle – Simon & Garfunkel, Simon, P.

8. Homeward Bound

9. Bridge Over Troubled Water

10. America

11. Kathy’s Song

12. El Condor Pasa (If I Could) – Simon & Garfunkel, Simon, P.

13. Bookends Theme

14. Cecilia

In 2003, the album was ranked number 293 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

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293/500 : Released in the wake of a brief reunion for a George McGovern campaign benefit concert in 1972, Greatest Hits combines big Simon and Garfunkel hits and live tracks, and summarizes nearly everything great about the duo: intimate harmonizing, observant lyrics, innovative arrangements and singular tunes.